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Warren defends claim of Native American heritage in new ad

Democratic Massachusetts Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren responded to attacks over her claims of Native American heritage with a new ad released Monday, accusing opponent Sen. Scott Brown (R) of "attacking" her family.

"As a kid, I never asked my mom for documentation when she talked about our Native American heritage," says Warren in the new TV ad. "What kid would? But I knew my father's family didn't like that she was part-Cherokee and part-Delaware, so my parents had to elope.

"Let me be clear. I never asked for or never got any benefit because of my heritage. The people who hired me have all said they didn't even know about it," she continues.

The spot is a response to a new Brown ad, also released Monday, that features news reports discussing Warren's heritage, with one clip stating she was "facing tough questions about whether she claimed to be a minority for professional gain."

Brown's campaign has charged that Warren, a former law professor and Obama administration official, claimed Native American heritage to advance her career.

Warren has said she is proud of her heritage and that her Native American ancestry was often discussed in her family.

Recent polls have shown Warren with a slight edge over Brown. A WBUR/MassINC poll released last week showed Warren up 5 points, with 47 percent support to Brown's 42 among likely voters.